Amaretto Cupcakes

April 19: National Amaretto Day

A business associate once gave Highlander’s office a bottle of Amaretto as an appreciation gift, but none of his co-workers really drank almond-flavored liqueur. So Highlander took it home and asked if Islander could cook something with it since we don’t imbibe much either. She had found a recipe for Amaretto cake in one of her cookbooks, “The Cake Mix Doctor,” and used the booze in the batter and for the icing on the cake. Highlander then took it to work the next day and everyone was pleasantly surprised with the resulting sweet treat. With such positive feedback, Islander was encouraged to experiment with baking with other liqueurs. Since that very first Amaretto cake—and subsequent Amaretto cupcakes—our pantry has become a stock for spirits. Although it looks like our house can be a bar, we still swear that we aren’t alcoholics!

Recipe

(Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn)

Amaretto Cupcakes

• 1 box (18.25 ounces) yellow cake mix (we recommend Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Classic Yellow Cake)
• 1 package (5.1 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
• ½ cup water
• ¾ cup amaretto
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.  In a large mixing bowl, put in all the ingredients and blend until the batter is thick and smooth. Pour into the cupcake papers. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting or decorating them. This recipe yields two dozen cupcakes.

Amaretto Cream Cheese Frosting

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese
• pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 3 to 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons amaretto

Directions

Beat the butter, cream cheese, salt and almond extract until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar a cup at a time and blend well. Pour in the amaretto and mix until the desired icing consistency is achieved. Frost and decorate the cupcakes. Yield: About 2 dozen.

Notes

• We have never really been in a liquor store until we started baking with booze, and now we look forward to restocking our cocktail collection. We enjoy looking at the fancy bottle designs and trying new liqueurs as ingredients. Search our blog for posts about alcohol-infused recipes.
• A large, drop flower tip (2D) was used in a “squeeze-twist-lift” motion to decorate the amaretto cupcakes.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

April 19: National Garlic Day

Mashed potatoes were served often at mealtime in Highlander’s household while he was growing up. Once in a while, his Mum would get creative with this simple side staple by mixing in grated cheese or seasoning it with different herbs and spices. Reminiscent of those extra touches that Mum did to make everyday mashed potatoes more special for the family, and inspired by National Garlic Day, our blog post features a tasty recipe for garlic mashed potatoes.

Recipe

(Adapted from The Food Network)

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ cup milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

Place the cubed potatoes in a large boiling pot and cover with enough water. Bring to a boil over the stove top, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Strain the potatoes and set aside. Using the same pot, add the oil and sauté lightly the garlic and rosemary. Remove from heat and add the drained potatoes. Stir until the potatoes are blended well with the spices. Pour in the milk and mash the potatoes with the salt and pepper. Whip the potatoes with a hand mixer for a smoother consistency.

Sinangag

April 19: National Garlic Day

There’s nothing like the awakening aroma of a freshly brewed pot of coffee garlic fried rice! In the Philippines, cooking sinangag (Filipino garlic fried rice) is a resourceful and delicious way to use up leftover rice from the night before. This dish is typically accompanied with itlog (eggs sunny-side up) to add color—and optimism—to a plate for a good morning meal. Add a variety of meats [such as longganisa (sausage), tocino (sweet pork) or tapa (cured beef)] or bangus (fried milkfish), and serve with tropical fruits or juices, and this hearty first meal of the day becomes the breakfast of champions!

Recipe

(Adapted from WikiPilipinas)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of onions, diced
• ½ tablespoon of soy sauce (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Mix the cooked rice in a bowl to loosen the sticky grains. Heat the oil in a pan, then lightly sauté the garlic and onions. Add the rice and mix well. Season to taste with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Garnish with slivers of fried garlic.

Notes

• Thanks to our Ninang Rosario C., for her hospitality when we visited the Philippines and for making us feel like champions when she fed us a generous breakfast spread, which included sinangag, before a busload of family and friends went to tour the towns of Bataan, Metro Manila, San Pablo and Tagaytay.
• With a strong Asian cultural influence on Hawaii, fried rice has become a morning meal option in many households and even at some restaurants. See our Spam fried rice blog recipe post for a similar breakfast, lunch or dinner dish.